Inhibited Chest Contraction

For most of my training life my chest has been one of my most solid parts.

long story short, I had a couple years off due to an accident which effected my motility.

hard work, hard discipline and I regained my strength and alott of size back in the last 7 months, but despite the fact that my incline db, flys, incline, bench lbs are almost caught up to my previous best. For maxes and rep work.

My chest seems to have a problem getting a thorough pump. Thus not exploding the way it used to. Dont get me wrong im happy whith chest size, i just know that my chest used to hold a glass of water on top of it. Ok maybe not but you get the point.

My intuition tells me that my shoulders are overpowering my chest (despite pre exhaution techniques) and that they are very tight restricting bloodflow to chest. Is this possible? If so what are the remedies. Ive not had luck with ART. I have ample external rotation strength, I have a good strength ratio between back and chest also.

Any thoughts or similar experiences appreciated.

[quote]Kill’Em All wrote:
For most of my training life my chest has been one of my most solid parts.

long story short, I had a couple years off due to an accident which effected my motility.

hard work, hard discipline and I regained my strength and alott of size back in the last 7 months, but despite the fact that my incline db, flys, incline, bench lbs are almost caught up to my previous best. For maxes and rep work.

My chest seems to have a problem getting a thorough pump. Thus not exploding the way it used to. Dont get me wrong im happy whith chest size, i just know that my chest used to hold a glass of water on top of it. Ok maybe not but you get the point.

My intuition tells me that my shoulders are overpowering my chest (despite pre exhaution techniques) and that they are very tight restricting bloodflow to chest. Is this possible? If so what are the remedies. Ive not had luck with ART. I have ample external rotation strength, I have a good strength ratio between back and chest also.

Any thoughts or similar experiences appreciated.

[/quote]

Yes, add in some wide grip presses to the throat or very high on the upper pecs. Add in those using a flat bench and squeeze at the top. Don’t use anymore than 60% of your regular bench max, made me a lot stronger at the first part(bottom) of the regular bench press.

when doing presses, barbell presses, try a lighter set while trying to draw the hands in, as if the bar was an accordion. Is your diet relatively the same as it was?

it doesn’t have anythng to do with exercise form, I often do all fly routines.

I sware my shoulder is so tight around my tendon it inhibits chest contraction. I think i need to break some tissue up.

[quote]Kill’Em All wrote:
it doesn’t have anythng to do with exercise form, I often do all fly routines.

I sware my shoulder is so tight around my tendon it inhibits chest contraction. I think i need to break some tissue up.[/quote]

I was thinking you could probably try pyramid sets. I haven’t done these since my first months of training, but it worked!

1st set - 10 reps (12RM)
2nd set - 7-8 reps (9RM)
3rd set - 4-6 reps (6RM)

Or vice versa. My chest gets pumped very easily so I don’t exactly have experience with the no-pump situation.

And if it has anything to do with your shoulder being tight report back and lemme know. It could be a good tip if thats the case.

Good luck

-Kev

He isn’t asking for a chest routine, he wants diagnoses/solutions to his problem. He’s obviously not a beginner, and it’s probably not his form or exercise choice.

Giving him beginner workout tips is a sign that you have no idea what his problem is, and it’s borderline condescending to the OP.
Not that I have any clue either… but come on.

have you tried gironda wide dips and gironda neckpress?

not so hard on the shoulders.

[quote]Farnsworth wrote:
He isn’t asking for a chest routine, he wants diagnoses/solutions to his problem. He’s obviously not a beginner, and it’s probably not his form or exercise choice.

Giving him beginner workout tips is a sign that you have no idea what his problem is, and it’s borderline condescending to the OP.
Not that I have any clue either… but come on.

[/quote]

THank you I was starting to go alittle awoll with peoples answers.

I defenitely have some nerve entrapement in my chest shoulder area. I need to get it removed , problem is when I go to ART its usually for my back, hips etc, and we never get to my chest.

how do you know you have nerve entrapment? i have a similar problems of having shoulders that overpower the chest preventing any sort of pump.

search for gironda dips and gironda neck presses on youtube and on this site. good video that hits the chest(not shoulders) pretty good.

i had my ART look at how my chest was firing yesterday, but he was to busy working on my hip flexors to get to my chest. BUt he did say they needed to be opened.

[quote]Hawkson101 wrote:
how do you know you have nerve entrapment? i have a similar problems of having shoulders that overpower the chest preventing any sort of pump.

search for gironda dips and gironda neck presses on youtube and on this site. good video that hits the chest(not shoulders) pretty good.

[/quote]

Well he said he had big pecs before. So he obviously understands how to train his chest… To the OP, I have no idea what it could be. I am ignorant on the subject of ART.

SIGHHH how this site has fallen, when a reader hasn’t even heard of ART.

I couldn’t even do chest today because my pecs are so tight around the insertion point and tendon to the anterior delt.

Im getting it opened with deep tissue, myofascial release, and ART before I continue to up my poundages and hit it hard.

My chest is big I just have been noticing weird stabbing pains that seem to inhibit chest contraction.